Automatic milk-cap-sepabating machine



0,. H. SUPPLEE. AUTOMATIC MILK CAP SEPARATING MACHINE. APPL |CATION FILED 8.28127. l9l7. RENEWED APR. 1. I919.

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AUTOMATIC MILK CAP SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.27. 1911. RENEWED APR, 1. I919.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

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CHARLES SUPPLEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC MILK-GAP-SEPARATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1 Patented Dec, 23, 1919,

i Application filed September 27, 1917, Serial in). 193,612. Renewed April 1, 1919. Serial No. 286,780.

-To all whom it may concern:

Be. itknown that I, CHARLES H. SUPPLEE, a citizen of the United States, residingat the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Milk-Cap-Separating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

It is the common practice to mount parafiined coated caps for milk bottles for sanitary reasons, in cylindrical tubes and in which shape or form they are supplied to filling machines for sealing the bottles but the caps invaiably stick one to the other and have to be manually separated or the tubes containing the caps struck against a hard surface to loosen or separate one cap from another therein. This method is but a makeshift for reliable separation and in the past has been the only method availed of for accomplishing the result, however inefficiently thereby separation of the caps was attained.

My invention relates and has been designed to provide a machine to effect the separation individually of caps carried in the aforementioned defined tubes in a clinging condition prior to feeding to the filling machine in which when the bottles are filled.

the caps are singly inserted into the bottle mouths for capping or sealing the same in an expeditious and eflicient manner and My invention has for its principal object the provision of a machine with guides to receive the tubes containing the caps, in mass, clinging to each other and which are fed forward automatically between operatmeans for loosening the interior contents of the tubes so as to separately liberate ultimately the caps from the tubes and depositing singly in the mouth of the filled bottle by a suitable well known machine. The tubes are dropped into the path of the operating means and guided automatically thereto for loosening the'caps so that when the tubes have passed through said means, they will have had the series of caps sticking to each other, separately parted each from the other and in a shape or condition then for the subsequent capping of the milk, cream or other bottles.

My invention stated in general terms, consists of an automatic milk cap separating machine, constructively arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described tion with the accompanying drawings.

forming part hereof, in which,

Figure 1, 1s a top or plan v1ew of a machine, embodying essential main features of my invention.

F 2, is a side elevational view.

F 1g. 3, is a central longitudinal ectional view; and

Fig. 4L is a vertical central sectionthrough the machine, showing in side elevation the two rotary squeeze rolls between which the cap filled tubes are squeezed in travel.

Referring to the drawings a and a are the standards of. the machine, the front end being provided with a table a and the rear end with an endless conveyer a traveling over rolls a and a. The rear ,roll at, is adjustably mounted in blocks a and 07, in slidable ways a? and c of the standards a and a. The said blocks are provided with threaded bolts 66 and a for tightening and loosening the same- The said conveyor a is provided with a cross-strip a, serving as a pusher device, the purpose of which will be presently fully explained. Above the endless conveyor a is arranged a feed guide a, consisting of a series of squeezed so that the caps therein will be singly dellvered to the bottle mouths in the filling machine for sealing the same.

In a central transverse opening '6, located between the front of the table (0 and rear endless conveyor c of the machine two squeeze rolls Z2 and Z2 are arranged, one above the other. The rolls are adjustably mounted in standards 6 and I). These rolls are held in contact with each other by tightening spring controlled jam bolts 72 and 7), arranged in the said standards as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2, 8, and 4. The said bolts carry a crossbeam 5 which is operated bya centrally arranged screw-bolt 5 extending through the top of the said standards for adjusting the said two grooved squeezing rolls in respect to each other, for

the automatic feeding of the tubes containing the massed caps therein, to separately loosen them, so that when the tubes with the loosened or separated caps are presented to the filling machine they are automatically delivered separately into each bottle mouth and fitted firmly to place therein. The filling machine per 86, as above defined forms no part of my present invention, as it is confined to the loosening oi caps as carried in the tubes, for their subsequent delivery separately into bottle mouths, for sealing the same. The lower grooved roll 6 is mounted on a shaft 6 held in the standards a and a, the ends of which shaft on both sides have gear wheels o and Z), whichengage with pinions 6 and Z2 mounted on a crossshaft 6 This latter shaft on one side is provided with a pulley Z for receiving a belt from a motor, not shown, for operating the said shaft and the said shaft 6 carrying and revolving the grooved lower roll 6 by means of said gears and pinions. On the shaft 6 are mounted on both sides sprockets 0 and 0 and by means of chains 0 and c engage sprockets 0* and 0 The drive roller a for the endless conveyer a is mounted on the journals of the sprockets 0*, 0 so that thereby the squeeze rolls and conveyer are actuated in unison. The upper squeeze roll is formed to frictionally engage the lower squeeze roll, so that the squeeze rolls 6 and 12 are simultaneously operated.

In operation, the tubes (Z, containing the massed parafiined caps (Z are placed manually in the ways of the guide at, in the rear of the machine. The machine is then started and at the same time the grooved rolls 6 and 6 are revolved by the motor or other power means and in unison therewith the endless conveyer push-means a for advancing the tubes in a forward direction and between the grooves of the squeeze rolls 6 and 6 in a manner so as to squeeze the exterior surface of the tubes and hence part or separate on the interior the massed together caps therein. Filled tubes (Z, after leaving the squeeze rolls 6 and 6?, pass along the table a to the filling means, not shown, and as the bottle mouths singly pass under the tube, a cap will be deposited in the mouth of the bottle and pressed firmlyto place to seal the said bottle in a well understood and now practised manner in the operation of milk capping 'bottle machines.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A machine of the character described, comprising a receiving table at one end, an endless conveyer at the opposite end provided with a pushing device, grooved roll means located between said table and con veyer, a guide having separate ways located above said conveyer for depositing cap filled tubes therein and means for operating said conveyer and grooved roll means, in unison for squeezing said cap filledtubes traveling between said rolls to thereby part the massed caps therein, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a receiving table at one end, upper and lower squeeze-rolls, to exert a squeezing pressure upon tube-like elements, an endless conveyer having its delivery end adjacent to said rolls, a guide member for dividing the surface of said conveyer into independent article-receiving spaces and means for feeding a plurality of said tubelike elements to said rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A machine of the character described,

comprising a receiving table at one end, an

CHARLES H. SUPPLEE.

l/Vitnesses J. WALTER DOUGLASS, M. GRooM. 

